MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors

Five takeaways:

1. Forget about the 8-hour work day. Since the house doesn’t have the distractions of an office, you can likely get more done more quickly. So don’t get hung up on whether the clock on the wall says 5 p.m.– set clear goals about the required tasks for the day, and log off once they are completed.
2. Build human interaction– through zoom or phone calls– into the day to avoid feelings of isolation– which can bog down productivity and negatively affect mental health.
3. Do the more “brainless” tasks, like clearing out the inbox, later in the day. In the early part of the day, when the brain is fresh, tackle the more applied or creative tasks at hand.
4. “Choose three things a day” – structure your day around three main tasks. Addressing these will structure your schedule, and help you avoid feeling lost in a “sea of work and deadlines”
5. Respect and work with your natural energy cycles– understand that full productivity, 5 days a week, is not possible. Productivity downturns are natural. Take them as a sign to take a break and return to the computer refreshed.

From Alexandra Samuel at The Wall Street Journal:

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Note: At the time of this posting The Wall Street Journal requires a subscription to read this article.

Five takeaways:

1. A new report from real estate brokerage Redfin finds that the budget disparity between out-of-town homebuyers and locals in “red hot” cities like Philadelphia and Nashville is approaching 30%.
2. Redfin’s report showed that in 42 of 49 cities listed, out of town buyers had higher budgets than local buyers. Of the seven remaining, five were in California, which has a disproportionately large share of high earners.
3. Nationally, the housing market is surging– a rarity for the winter months. Rising mortgage rates are likely to encourage buyers to act quickly and aggressively.
4. Redfin’s report credits the rise of remote work as a prime reason the gap is widening between local buyers and transplant buyers.
5. This disparity really affects first time homebuyers in these “hot” markets, who are competing with out-of-town buyers and unable to offset housing prices by selling a home before they buy a new one.

From Sarah Hansen at Money.com

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Five takeaways:

1. The modern, two-day weekend was codified in the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which also gave us the common eight-hour work day/40-hour workweek model. This article argues that modern workers are experiencing an erosion of the classic 2-day weekend by overbooked schedules, constant notifications from their mobile devices, and increasing employer demands.
2. Economic Fragility, near-universal use of personal devices for work, and the rise of the gig economy have all contributed to the breakdown of the distinction between the workweek and weekend free time.
3. There are physiological costs to missed rest and relaxation, including increased levels of stress hormones and decreased ability to focus. Increased hours spent at a desk can bring on weight gain and increase general anxiety.
4. Making space for time away from work isn’t just about productivity — it also makes you a better person. It allows time for connection with others or the self, for the activities we are passionate about, and for creativity.
5. Employers need to work hard to ensure their employees are taking time for themselves on weekends, and employees should feel more empowered to voice concern when weekend work becomes a common occurrence.

From Katrina Onstad at NBC News

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